How do you like to get your games? Venturing out to your local retailer, or comfortably staying at home? I prefer retail, but I won't refuse to get a game digitally. Especially if it's a game I don't have too much sentiment with. In fact, I've got like 30+ games downloaded on my PS3. Thing is, I don't need a physical copy of Bulletstorm because I probably will not want to play it in 20 years, but I NEED a copy of any MGS game. I love that series and I want to always have it. I don't want to rely on THE CLOUD to store all my games. Who knows how much things will change, all the things that could happen that would leave me without access to my digital library. I just feel more safe physically owning most of my games, and having them all nicely displayed on a bookshelf. Also, considering how big games are getting in regards to file size (like 25+ GB!) it would take me CONSIDERABLY less time to just drive out to a GameStop 25 minutes away, buy the game, and then drive back.
I usually prefer physical copies of games, especially, like you said, of series I like a lot. It's sort of the same mentality with books for me. I like to hold and look at the case/the disc and be able to put it on my bookshelf or wherever else I could store games. It's a nice feeling to look over and see a whole line of games you like and be able to have them within arm's reach. All that said though, I don't mind digital games. With things like the PS Plus offers, there's a lot of variety of games available for (essentially )free that I might not be too sure I would like right off the bat, but still have the ability to download, test out, and if I don't like it, all I have to do is delete the file. The free demos are also really nice for this reason. Additionally I really like the concept of the cloud, that if something were to happen to my games I'd have a copy of the data to call right back. Like you said though, with the prospect of things changing it could end up being a hassle to get access to your stuff back. But most of my digital downloads tend to be "this is free I like free I will try this out" anyway :b
While I en joy the physical copies for the reasons stated above, I notice I try to buy smaller games through digital copy for thoughts of the future. Playstation 3 and 4 didn't have backwards compatibility for most models, so it seems like if you don't have the digital copy, you were forced to go back to your previous console. Not necessarily a bad thing, I just find it's in good moderation to do one or the other every now and then. But if I had to choose, I would still go with physical. Just physically watching your collection grow and having nostalgia from each game you have. When I look at my current collection, I see a game and recall how I got it; Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters - A fairly easy game that my stepdad got me for my birthday, because I told him I like comics and video games. He was not aware I disliked the Ryan Reynolds film... Kingdom Hearts 1.5 HD ReMix - My prize for winning KHV's trivia tournament last year Walking Dead Season 1 - Got it pretty cheap on Boxing day The above are just to name a few, but I'd imagine if you look at your own collection of games, you can recall interesting memories on how you obtained some of them.
This is a really good point. I like looking over at my copy of Dishonored and remembering the Christmas that I got it and how excited I was to play it, and how getting that game was a nice part of a really good day with my family.
Physical always. I'm much the same in that I like to physically own everything in case something went wrong. I'd also rather have a retail copy that requires small MB installs than have a full digital game that takes up loads of GB. I'll only download games if they're exclusively digital (like LIMBO). Even then I only own about 3 of those games if you're lucky. Most of them don't appeal to me.
No preference. I usually buy what's cheapest, or what will give me the best bundle deal, etc. That's more deciding than the form, because at the end of the day, i'm in it for the game. Though, like some, I enjoy the physicality of a box, the whole attachment and ownership of a copy. Collector's editions are that sort of thing. But that'd be restricted to a series I really loved, which is rare. My room is filled with so many boxes and not enough room. If the boxes were smaller or such I'd be fine with physical, but this hobby is space consuming. Digital has that advantage. Hell, most of the time I never have to change disk nor cartridge anymore because of it. I just go with what is best for my financial inclination more than any sort of 'history' or such. This thinking happened ever since I started to play on PC, where I can get copies of some of my favourite games, digitally at a really cheap price. I have access to all the game I want now.
Currently I buy a mixture of digital and physical. For consoles I tend to aim for physical as I can trade in games and they are overall cheaper, at least for new games. But for handheld and older titles I download, because it's easier and since the online store like PSN or Live is just there I'm more likely to impulse buy. In the future I would like an all digital, but it's just not price competitive and a lack of refund or exchange policies is holding it back.
It depends on the system and the seller for me. Much as I like to own physical copies of things, if it's on sale for five bucks on Steam I'm probably gonna pick it up. I also use GOG, because totally DRM-free old games that are mine to keep as long as I keep them backed up? Mucho gusta. I usually prefer to get my Nintendo games physically, because I'm not sure what their policy is on replacing or redownloading digital games, plus my Virtual Console collection is very small and I'm always reluctant to add to a virtual collection when it's just starting. And of course, it's easier to make Christmas and birthday lists of physical games, because they can be ordered or bought at a store, wrapped up, and set aside for the appointed time. I usually don't worry about the nuances in ownership; my games last no matter what, because I treat my physical ones well and I don't buy digitally from vendors I don't trust.
Depends. if I'm getting the standard version of a game I'll most likely buy it off psn, the only flaw with digital is if you have a bad internet speed it can take ages to finish, but thing is it's also a pain to go out and hunt for a game sometimes that you can buy off whatever you use to download games. also memory is another issue sometimes I feel like also I would buy a lot more games digital because my games honestly are just clutter in my room but also some games are still overpriced an example would be; Catherine on PSN; £40 DmC: £40 Sony sometimes don't bother to change the prices, the best one i've seen to this day is; Dishonored; £40 Dishonored GOTY edition; £20 if they fixed those few flaws I'd go for digital all the way unless I'm buying a collectors edition or limited edition of something such as kh 1.5 or so on.
Simply, it depends. I prefer physical copies, but there are some games where I'll just buy it digitally (like SSX) because it's not something I particularly want to own a physical copy of.
Another thing would actually be on Handheld consoles which obviously I would prefer digital, but thing is; with the psvita as an example, they hadn't made a Memory card bigger than 16 GB's I believe upon release. This is annoying because how am I supposed to buy many games digitally of course before you had to carry loads of game catridges around in your case which was what the DS's case was made for but this was annoying cause it would have resulted in losing games so for handheld i would go for digital but with console i'd go for physical retail.
I base my gaming around hassle to get it, rather than digital or physical. Going to a retail is usually the last thing I do, it's just not necessary to me. However, I do buy physical games online to be shipped to me. This is my main source of getting them, because it doesn't mean I have to go out of my way to get it. Same with digital. The only downside is time, but I'm a patient person.
